[ys]

After Goran got his Wimbledon, I would probably make my case with Andrei Medvedev. ONe of the most talented players of 90s, one of the best claycourters in 90s, a lot of Masters clay titles, 6 losses at French Open to eventual champions ( Courier 92, Bruguera 93/94, Muster 1995, Kuerten 1997, Agassi 1999), coming agonisingly close in 1999. Yet, he seems to be history without winning a Slam..

 

[Chloe le Bopper]

I nominate Todd Martin! Poor Todd :sad:

 

[Chloe le Bopper]

I should add, that I'm not saying that Todd would make a better case Andrei. I'm merely saying that he deserves a nod in this thread.

I'm too lazy to dig up his results, but didn't he hold a rather significant lead in at least one of his slam finals?

Furthermore, I recall that he did a major choke job against Washington in the Wimbledon semis of 1996. Not to suggest that he would have beaten Krajicek, but stranger things have happened.

 

[Chloe le Bopper]

And unless something happens in the next few years that makes this a moot point, I think that Alex Corretja makes a decent case at Roland Garros. Twice the loser in the finals, other times the loser to the eventual champ, or to an up and coming player...

 

[ys]

Of course, but I think, for Alex it is still not impossible to win it, while for Todd and Andrei, it is over..

Pioline made two Slam finals, but I do not think he deserved to win either of them.. Rios played GS-winning type of tennis in 1998, but he is probably not a best-of-five player by his physique.. Enqwist would be, IMO, much more deserved Slam winner than Johansson, but life is not fair. As to other currently active Slam finalists - I do not think that Rusedski or Scud were somewhat unlucky, I rather think that they were lucky to even make it to the Slam finals..

 

[ys]

I'm too lazy to dig up his results, but didn't he hold a rather significant lead in at least one of his slam finals?

He did have 2 to 1 againt Agassi in 1999, but the final result had never been in doubt, it was just a matter of time when Todd would eventually crack, physically or mentally.

Furthermore, I recall that he did a major choke job against Washington in the Wimbledon semis of 1996. Not to suggest that he would have beaten Krajicek, but stranger things have happened.

If I recall correctly, he was serving at 5:2 in the fifth set and lost. Amazingly, few years later he repeated exactly same kind of choke against Agassi, in earlier rounds..

But for a player who made it to semis 6 times and to final twice not to win it will certainly make him feel an underachiever, even if he is probably in reality overachiever..

 

[maratski]

They're already mentioned, but I think that Corretja would definately deserve to win RG by now.

 

[Dina]

Corretja

 

[King Aaron]

Juanqui at last years RG. He was really unlucky he folded/played badly/choke or even perhaps Costa played well.

 

[Dina]

he wasn't unlucky. Chking playing badly isn't bad luck

 

[irma]

maybe phillipouses? wasn't he dominating sampras in a wimbledon quarterfinal (I think 2000) and then hurt his knee. sampras went on to win the title.

not sure of course if he had won the title but when you are talking about unlucky in a match(or maybe the whole tournament) and not choking then that was one.!

 

[maratski]

mark was unlucky there. I don't remember much of it, but the commentators said that he had a good chance of defeating Pete that day.

 

[Nan Cu]

It was 1999. I remember it like yesterday. Mark P. was taking it to the Android, hitting winners left and right. I was giggling like a shcoolgirl, then, POW, POW, his knee went out.


I would also nominate Todd Martin. But he's a bit of a choker.

 

[tennischick]

Agassi --- once Clinton showed up...

The Scud was indeed spanking the butt off the Android irma, and then lost his knee. grrrrrr....

 

[Princess Fiona]

After Goran got his Wimbledon, I would probably make my case with Andrei Medvedev. ONe of the most talented players of 90s, one of the best claycourters in 90s, a lot of Masters clay titles, 6 losses at French Open to eventual champions ( Courier 92, Bruguera 93/94, Muster 1995, Kuerten 1997, Agassi 1999), coming agonisingly close in 1999. Yet, he seems to be history without winning a Slam..

Andrei Medvedev... I was thinking about him recently!! Has he retired?

(Thanks ys, or anyone who can tell me... )

 

[ys]

Andrei retired from professional tennis. He says though he might still play for Ukraine in Davis Cup and maybe Olympics..

 

[Princess Fiona]

Thanks for the Andrei information, ys... So he's retired too, like Anke... :sad: Would be nice for Ukraine (and Andrei fans!) if he could play Olympics/Davis Cup, yes!!

Again, thanks!! :wavey:

 

[maratski]

Thanks ys I thought he was just injured or something at the moment

 

[Sjengster]

Yep, Corretja makes a good case for Roland Garros, and Henman is undoubtedly his equivalent at Wimbledon - true, he's never made the final, but he's one of the leading contenders and always gets to the latter stages only to be snuffed out by the eventual champion. Roland Garros seems to be a great place for old champions and former greats of the game to make a brief comeback by reaching the final, only to lose out to a better known and younger player; Stich in 96, Bruguera in 97, Medvedev in 99.

Rios and Enqvist have both made only one Slam final, at the AO in 98 and 99 respectively, and both times they were soundly beaten not just by their opponent but by their nerves as well. Rios had a horrendous choke against Korda, all Petr had to do was keep the ball in play and wait for the errors, and Kafelnikov cleaned Enqvist up very handily after losing the first set. Clement and Schuettler's one-sided defeats at the hands of Agassi were almost inevitable, even though we can't say for certain whether they won't reach more Grand Slam finals - Schuettler's game is a carbon copy of Hewitt's, and look where it's gotten the world no. 1 to....

Philippoussis and Todd Martin are undoubtedly the major losers at Wimbledon and the US Open - both beaten in the final of Flushing Meadows, and both having a brilliant chance to make it to the Wimbledon final but falling at the penultimate hurdle. I don't remember anything about the Scud's brilliant match against Sampras before he had to retire, perhaps I wasn't watching Wimbledon that year, but that was a definite opportunity. It's true, however, that Todd Martin wasn't really unlucky, he just had some horrendous chokes - I can imagine Agassi fighting back as he did in 2000, but Martin actually led 5-1 serving for the match against Washington in 96, had matchpoint at 5-3 and lost it 10-8 in the end. He'd certainly have given Krajicek a far tougher match than Malivai did in the end.

 

[Leo7]

Mark Philippoussis. I thought he was on his way to the 1999 Wimbledon title before the damn injury happened. It's really a shame.

Todd Martin could've won one if it wasn't for his choker tendencies. He had a great chance at Wimby '96 when he led Mal Washington in the semifinals, up 5-2 in the final set, but choked that match away. And then he led a great opportunity slip in the 1999 US Open final when he led Andre 2 sets to 1.